Rye Bread

These are not butter churns.

They are bread pails full of rising and falling dough, all to make this giant loaf of rye bread today on The French Chef.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: The French Chef is made possible by a grant from the Polaroid Corporation.

Welcome to The French Chef.

I'’’m Julia Child.

Today we are doing rye bread, and we'’’re using a wonderful French system that you can use for any kind of bread, like white bread, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal bread.

But it'’’s particularly good with rye bread, because it makes a bread that'’’s full of flavor and texture and chewiness, and it has that good old country quality.

In France, it would be called pain de campagne.

And it starts out with a yeast batter which is called a poulish, spelled P-O-U-L-I-S-H. And this is a batter which is made out of yeast, flour and water.

And we want to start out with one package-- either of dry active or a fresh yeast-- this is a dry active yeast-- that'’’s going to be dissolved in two-thirds cup of tepid water.

And the poulish, this poulish batter, is something that exists in many languages.

This happens to be Viennese that the French Viennese bakers did.

And now we want to have water for the yeast.

It should be about 100 to 110 degrees.

And if you'’’re not used to knowing the warmth of water, put in a thermometer and test it with your finger so that you get some kind of an idea of what 100 degrees is.

And this...

I'’’m going to put this into the yeast.

And then you want to make sure that that is completely dissolved, and that takes four or five minutes.

And here'’’s one that already is dissolved, which has to be absolutely liquid.

And that is very important.

And then we want to have four cups of all-purpose flour.

There'’’s one.

And measure it just like this, dipping your dry measure cup into the flour and leveling it off with something.

And that'’’s about as accurate a measurement in cups as you can get.

There'’’s four cups of all-purpose flour.

And in goes our one package of yeast dissolved in two-thirds cup of warm water.

And then I want some tepid water of about 75 degrees.

And I want-- heavens-- three cups.

So I pour it into the yeast cup here.

Spilling none of it, which I have.

One, two... and I'’’m not going to have quite enough.

The idea is, to start the yeast moving, you want the whole thing to be about 75 degrees.

And if you were working in a bakery and were very scientific, everything would be measured and calibrated and thermostated.

And if your flour-- say, if you happen to keep your flour in the refrigerator or down in the cellar, and the flour were cold, it would be a good idea to put it in a roasting pan and just let it warm up just until the chill had been taken off.

Because if your flour is too cold, then it will take your yeast too long to start working.

Now, I'’’m just mixing that up, you see, with a whip.

And it is really just like a batter, sort of like a pancake batter.

And this would be called, in this country, rather than a poulish, it would be called a yeast starter.

Or in Boston, we would call it a "stah-tah."

And the purpose of it is to get the yeast going, '’’cause the yeast feeds upon the starch in the flour.

And if it'’’s a very liquid mixture, like this batter, the yeast can quickly eat up all the starch.

And when it has eaten it practically all up, it is bubbly like this.

Look-it, you can see around the sides there where there are just bubbly holes.

And you look in at the top, and these are bubbles that are slowly going glub, glub, glub.

Somebody said it looks a little bit like tapioca pudding.

And if you lift it up, look at that consistency.

And this, in the old days-- or I could say, in the beginning-- there was no yeast.

There weren'’’t any yeast cakes.

Yeast cakes were not even invented until about 1870.

And your great-grandmother had to make all of her own yeast herself, because yeast is wild organisms floating around in the air.

And if you make a mixture, say, of rye, flour and hops-- and I don'’’t know what they used to use-- eventually it would just begin to start bubbling and you would'’’ve started your own yeast.

And so you would make this kind of a starter, and then you would use half of it to make your dough.

And then you'’’d mix in some more flour and water and let it rise and bubble again, and use it the next time.

And gradually it began getting a little sour.

And that was... that was how the whole business of sourdough started in.

In French usage, the poulish is used immediately after it'’’s made, because they don'’’t make sourdough bread at all.

And this takes about two and a half hours to rise up to this beautiful, bubbly, tapioca look.

And what'’’s good about it is that this kind of a beginning mixture gives a lovely, moist texture to the bread.

And you can use it perfectly well for making plain French bread with white flour.

But it'’’s just awfully good with rye flour.

And it'’’s now ready to mix with the rye flour.

And you can, of course, mix it all by hand.

Or if you have a heavy-duty machine, you can use that.

Or you can use one of these bread pails.

And this is what it looks like.

It has this dough hook here, and a crank.

And you just put in your mixture.

Look at that.

Isn'’’t that wonderful-looking?

You just put all that in, and... (dishes clattering) ...then you add your flour.

And I'’’m going to add... you can add, if you want... this can take 12 cups of flour.

But I'’’m not going to add 12 cups of rye flour, because that would make such a terribly heavy bread.

I'’’m going to use eight cups of rye.

There'’’s eight cups of what is called medium rye flour.

And then four cups of white flour.

And this... by adding the white flour, it makes it so that it isn'’’t... it isn'’’t too heavy.

And then I'’’m going to put in...

I also like to add a little more yeast, because the rye flour is so heavy that if you add a little bit more yeast, it will help it to rise and it won'’’t take quite so long.

So in that goes.

That'’’s one package of yeast with two-thirds cup of water.

Now, whether or not to add more yeast depends very much on what the weather is like.

If it'’’s a warm day, if you add more yeast-- a whole package more yeast-- it'’’s going to rise too quickly.

And what you want it to do-- and this is the good old French system again, which makes very good bread-- is for the second rising that this is going to have to have, is that it should last about three hours.

And that depends very much on the temperature.

And what you want to do is to make it rise, take about three hours and control the temperature.

If it'’’s rising too fast, just slow it down.

You can put it in the icebox, if necessary.

And then we have to have some more water, '’’cause we'’’ve got all that flour in there.

So I'’’m going to put in about two and two-thirds cup of water.

And if I need any more, I could add some later.

And then we also have to have some salt.

And I'’’m going to put in three and a third tablespoons, or three tablespoons and one teaspoon, if you prefer.

Now, this is the point, after you'’’ve started mixing your bread like this, where you can really do very much what you want.

I'’’m making a very plain French type of rye flour.

I'’’m not making Swedish or Jewish or Norwegian rye, some of which have milk or buttermilk or molasses and caraway seeds in them.

At this point, you can do anything you want.

And rather than putting in rye flour, you could have put in whole-wheat flour, or you could make a mixture of whole wheat or rye.

And you can add wheat germ and whole grains and organic this and that, and honey and molasses and whatnot.

And this is what'’’s fun about bread making.

You can very much do what you want, because the yeast is going to make it rise anyway.

And that'’’s what'’’s such fun about bread-- '’’cause it'’’s your own.

Now, with this bread mixture, you knead this.

By turning the crank, you'’’re really kneading the bread.

And you have to knead for about ten or 15 minutes.

And if it begins feeling too stiff, open it up and see how it looks.

I'’’m going to open it up now and see how it looks.

And it looks...

I may have to add a little bit of more water later on, but you can'’’t tell yet, because it hasn'’’t really started to go.

I have three pails here so that you can see the bread, the dough, at several stages.

But, of course, you only need one.

I always say, if one is good, three is better.

So you just keep on kneading, probably about ten minutes.

Then one thing-- I think a pail is very good for rye bread, because rye is really so sticky.

It'’’s...

I don'’’t know why wallpaper hangers use white flour, because it seems to me that the wallpaper would stick much better with rye flour.

And for this kind of bread, I think the dough pail is particularly useful.

It'’’s also very nice, because it is just about the right size so that you can make a big mixture like this, 12 cups of flour, and you have plenty of room to rise.

Now, there, I'’’ll leave you that and go to my second pail to show you how it looks when it'’’s already done.

See, there you are.

And clean it off.

Clean the dough off the hook.

And then it'’’s ready for its rise.

And in this case, it only needs... '’’cause it'’’s already had that rise with the yeast batter, so it only needs one more rise.

And it should rise, if you can control the temperature, at about 75 degrees for... if you can do it, three hours; two to three hours.

But if you can have a long, slow rise, you'’’re going to have a much better texture of bread.

And that is because the yeast has three functions-- not only to make the dough rise, but to give it texture and to give it flavor.

And if you don'’’t let it work long enough, it'’’s just not going to have that marvelous flavor, and there'’’s no sense in making homemade bread.

Because what you want to do-- you want your own bread to be infinitely better than anything you can buy.

So remember, in making bread, if you haven'’’t worked with yeast much before, that it'’’s not the time of rise.

Some people say, "Oh, it said three hours.

"And here it is three hours and a half, and my bread hasn'’’t risen.

Oh!"

That doesn'’’t make any difference.

It can take six hours to rise.

It'’’s the amount of rising.

When it has risen, it should come up to the top of this pail and have a lovely, soft texture.

It'’’s rather puffy, and it has a... and it'’’s all ready... And if you feel it, it'’’s spongy.

So remember that it'’’s not the time of rise.

It'’’s the amount of rise-- that this should rise two to two and a half times its original amount.

And then it should have that soft, spongy, rather puffy look to it.

And so, when it'’’s all ready, it comes out, and you'’’re ready to form it.

Now, look at the texture there as that comes out of the pail.

And you can feel just the feel of it.

It has the right kind of feel of risen dough, and also the smell.

And scrape it out.

(chuckles) And this, when you really... this is actually the first time that, using the bread pail system, that hands have touched dough, but you can see how really, really sticky that is.

And now you can make... you can make the dough just in a bread pan, just like that, and come out with just the conventional loaf.

Or you can do... you can form it rather free-form like this.

And bake it free, which is a great deal more fun if you can make yourself a simulated baker'’’s oven, which we'’’ve already done several times with French bread and with pizzas.

So I'’’m going to do it in the free-form way, just because it'’’s more fun to do.

I don'’’t think there would be much to show you if we were just going to do something in a pan.

And I'’’m going to make a great big loaf called a pain boulot.

And that'’’s a big... that'’’s a big oval-shaped loaf.

I'’’m going to take off... an extra piece of that dough.

And if you will remember, with our French dough forming, it'’’s very much the same method of patting it out with your hand, and then lifting one end, the lower end, up almost to the top, and then folding the top down to the lower end.

The whole idea here is to try and make a smooth bottom.

And then flatten it again, and then make a trench down there with the side of your hand.

And hope that that'’’s going to look like a smooth bottom.

And if it hasn'’’t, just pat it out again and make another trench and fold it again.

That still doesn'’’t seem terribly smooth, so I'’’ll do it once again.

And then seal the ends of it with the... with the heel of your hand.

And be sure that you don'’’t make it too long for your oven.

And this amount of dough is going to make...

I mean, the amount of dough that I have will make two long loaves about 16 or 18 inches long.

Or it would make two round loaves about 12 or 14 inches in diameter.

But with a free form, you'’’re never exactly quite sure how much you'’’re going to get.

I mean, that doesn'’’t... (chuckling): This doesn'’’t make any sense at all.

I think when you'’’re doing rye bread and things like that, sometimes you add a little more water or a little more yeast, and you can'’’t say exactly how much you'’’re going to end up with.

But I always think a little bit more is better than a little bit less.

Now, this is going to go onto... canvas... ...that is floured.

You see how soft that is.

That'’’s a real French type.

And now you have the question, if you were...

This sometimes spreads out a bit.

And I'’’m going to try and find...

So, if you have a banneton, which is a French bread basket, you could let it rise in that.

But another system, which my husband worked out, is to use your canvas like a sling and either shut it into a drawer or shut it in the top of a door, like this.

The great thing about this-- it'’’s sort of silly, but the thing is it keeps the bread from spreading out too much.

And then you can unmold it either onto a baking sheet in the conventional way, or if you'’’re going to use the simulated baker'’’s oven, you unmold it onto a board, and then you'’’re going to slide it directly into your oven.

So here, it always rises with the seal side up.

So that you'’’ll have the soft underbelly.

And the rise is about, I should say an hour and a half until it looks nice and puffy like this.

It should be almost... have risen almost three times its original size.

And this-- with a little razor blade, making these little slash marks.

And remember that the slashes just go almost parallel to the loaf.

And if you haven'’’t quite gotten in there, do it... go over it again.

And then, because this is going to be like the baker'’’s oven, we have a hot iron or a hot brick.

And you have a pan of water in the oven.

And we gotta make steam.

And here she goes.

You see that bubbling in there.

And then we have hot tiles in the oven.

Look at that steam.

That just slides in there sideways, and that bakes for about five minutes with the steam.

And then you take the steam out.

And the oven is at 450 degrees, and you let it bake for about 20 to 30 minutes.

And then you turn the oven down to about 350 and let it bake 20 to 30 minutes more, until it thumps nicely.

Now, if you don'’’t have the bricks and the tiles and the iron, just bake it on a baking sheet in the ordinary way.

But I think you'’’re going to like bread that'’’s made this way with the yeast starter.

And it'’’s very much like an even older system in France, which they called pain au levain, spelled L-E-V-A-I-N. And this is made with leftover dough.

And we visited a bakery when we were in Paris that baked the bread this way.

And you enter into this very modern bakery shop on the first floor, and then you descend into a medieval cavern where the bread is baked day and night in a never-ending cycle.

There'’’s the levain.

That'’’s the leftover dough.

And they'’’re putting more flour and water into it.

And that... after it'’’s all mixed up, it'’’s really just like a poulish.

It'’’s like a batter.

This is a French bread pail, or an electric mixer.

There'’’s the wood fire.

It'’’s so hot in there that they always wear shorts.

That'’’s all kneaded, so he'’’s dumping it into a big tub, where it'’’s going to rise.

Now they weigh it out.

See, each piece of dough is weighed so that all the bread will be exactly the same size.

You see how soft that is, too.

And he'’’s making the round shape in just the same way as Professor Calvel made his.

(men speaking French) JULIA: There'’’s your wood fire.

And rather than a hot iron and a pan, he'’’s just using a plain pan of water that puts steam in the oven.

(speaking French) JULIA: And that'’’s his wooden paddle that he slides the dough in, called a pelle, P-E-double-L-E, called a peel sometimes.

Bread being unmolded onto it.

And he'’’s making the slash marks.

He keeps his razor in his mouth.

That'’’s a cornmeal.

And finally the bread is baked.

And there it is.

(quiet chatter in French) And all that beautiful bread is wheeled right upstairs into the shop.

And it'’’s sold all over Paris, and even all over France, and even some of it is air-shipped over to this country.

And this is the... these are the round type of round loaves.

And, actually, I think that the round loaves keep their shape better if you do have one of these bannetons, these baskets, canvas-lined and made out of wicker.

And to get them, you'’’ll probably have to go over to France.

And it'’’s really worth the trip.

But even so, here'’’s one that was just baked, not in a banneton.

I must say, it'’’s come up very well.

So I don'’’t think they'’’re essential at all.

But I must say I think that our sling works very well.

Here'’’s a small one done in a sling.

And here is a great... a great big one.

And I'’’m just going to show you what it looks like when you cut it open.

I always like to cut them on a slant this way.

See, it'’’s got a beautiful brown crust.

And inside, it'’’s moist and brown and tasty and earthy.

It'’’s a really... it'’’s a life-sustaining, real rye bread.

It'’’s a virgin rye.

And really, what'’’s to remember here-- that it'’’s a great method for any bread.

It'’’s one that you can improvise on, and you can really start your own traditions.

So that'’’s all for today on The French Chef.

This is Julia Child.

Bon appétit.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org ANNOUNCER: The French Chef has been made possible by a grant from the Polaroid Corporation.

Julia Child is coauthor of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volumes One and Two.